Jesus said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). When you obey what Jesus said, the devil will try to deceive you into thinking you will never again have any joy or pleasure in this life; but he is a liar. It is true that when you bear your cross, you will suffer in the flesh; but that doesn’t mean you will no longer have any joy. You will be happy; but your joy and pleasure will come from God, not from man or the world.

Jesus came to Earth for the sole purpose of bringing a world out of bondage, but there was a cross He had to bear. He suffered much in the flesh, but He endured His suffering for the great joy of seeing you and me saved one day. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). That was not the kind of joy this world could give; it was joy that came from loving the things of God more than the things of men.

Jesus knew He was going to suffer at the hands of men as He bore His Cross, and you too will suffer as you bear your cross. If you are not willing to do that, you will never be able to follow Jesus. His pleasure came from doing the will of the Father, and that is where yours must come from too. Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work (John 4:34).

When Jesus lived on Earth, He had human flesh just like yours and mine; so it was not easy for Him to face the sufferings of the Cross. That is why He prayed to His Father twice saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done (Matthew 26:39,42). Jesus endured great sorrow and agony, but He didn’t please Himself because He knew the Cross had to be conquered for all of us.

True Joy Comes from God

When Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of Egypt, he wasn’t without joy. He just received his joy from a different source. Moses was in line to be the ruler over Egypt after Pharaoh, so he could have had anything he wanted; but the Bible says, By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward (Hebrews 11:24-26). Moses had realized that there was nothing at the end of the way without Lord God Almighty.

Simon Peter thought he was ready to suffer for Christ’s sake, but he wasn’t. When Jesus tried to tell him and the other disciples of what He would suffer, Peter got upset; and Jesus had to put him in his place. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men (Matthew 16:22,23).

God is offended when you try to stop His will from being done because you want to spare yourself or someone else from suffering. It is so sad when people fail to really hear and understand all the Lord is telling them. The disciples could have been at the tomb when the angel rolled away the stone and Jesus walked out because He had told them what was going to happen, but they didn’t really listen; and they weren’t there.

Thankfully, Peter did learn later that he could suffer for the cause of Christ and still have great joy, but it was joy that came from serving the things of God rather than the things of men. And when they [the high priest and the council] had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (Acts 5:40-42). The disciples were able to continue on because they were anointed to do the Lord’s work.

Will You Suffer for Christ?

You will suffer as you savor the things of God more than the things of men, but you will not be without Heaven’s joy; and divine joy is much greater than anything the world can afford. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

Jesus didn’t try to spare Himself from suffering, and you can’t either. You must take on the mind of Christ and continue on. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind (I Peter 4:1).

Paul learned to bear his cross, and he let nothing stop him. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12). Paul wanted to make sure that others would not let persecutions and afflictions defeat them either. He said, That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know (I Thessalonians 3:3,4).

Persecutions make you strong in the Lord if you face them God’s way. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ (II Corinthians 1:5). And always remember that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).

You Cannot Please Self

Jesus did not please Himself when He walked the Earth. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me (Romans 15:3). Jesus said, For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me (John 6:38). That was Jesus’ mission, and it must be your mission too.

Paul said, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification (Romans 15:1,2). There are times when your flesh will cry out against that, and you will be the one looking for help and comfort; but don’t give in to your feelings. Self doesn’t like to suffer, so you must learn to separate feelings and faith; or you will limit what God can do for you.

It takes divine faith to please God, and it takes obedience to that faith to put self down and bear your cross. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is [God], and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). You must diligently seek the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and body and live by faith every day. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him (Hebrews 10:38). When you stop pleasing God to please yourself, only Heaven knows all that will be lost for the Kingdom of God.

You may think your cross is too heavy; but the Bible says, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (I Corinthians 10:13). You may be walking through a valley and think you can’t possibly take it for even one more minute; but when the time is right, the Lord will be there to show you a way out.

Winning Souls Brings Joy

As you carry your cross, you will have to bear the reproach of others. You will be subjected to their scorn, their rebuke and their disapproval; but you can’t pay attention to them. The Bible says, If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified (I Peter 4:14).

Jesus was the pure, spotless Lamb of God, yet He bore the reproach of many and willingly became an offering for our sins. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not (Isaiah 53:3).

Jesus gave His life so you and I could be saved and have eternal life, so we must give all we have to finish His work and bring in the harvest. God does not want even one soul to perish. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).

There are many, many souls to bring into the Kingdom in this final hour, and God needs every person He can get to help do that. Jesus said, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few (Matthew 9:37). Many pastors today are not getting God’s work done. They are looking out for self instead of seeking to bring in the harvest. How sad. Paul said, Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved (I Corinthians 10:33). We must do the same thing.

Nothing pleases the Father more than seeing souls saved, healed and delivered; so you must do all you can to bear your cross and bring glory to God. Jesus said, Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again (John 12:28).

Come to the Cross

Sinner, everyone will suffer in this life. Don’t you want to put the Lord in charge of giving you victory? How can you go one more day without God? How can you have the courage to close your eyes one more time in sin knowing that you may never wake up again in this life? When you turn off the light at night, it may be the last light you will ever see because if you don’t have the eternal light, all you will have is the darkness of hell.

If you want Jesus in your heart, pray this prayer with me now: Oh, God, save my soul! Forgive me for all of my sins. I’m so sorry, Lord, that I sinned against you; but I have come home, and I will serve you for the rest of my life. I believe that Jesus died for me, and I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins right now. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in, Jesus!

If you meant that prayer, Jesus has come; and He will be your light for eternity. Hold to that light because you can’t afford to ever let that light go out in your soul. The cost is too great to pay.

Jesus Is the Healer

If you are sick and afflicted, you can have a miracle today. I am not a healer, and I have no secret power of my own; but I believe in the power of prayer. Do you? Have you set your time to receive deliverance? You have to decide that when you receive prayer, the cancer, heart problems, diabetes, AIDS or any affliction you may have will have no more power over you.

If you have any pain in your body after you receive prayer, trust God and His promise of healing and believe that everything is conquered. The devil will try to make you think you are not healed, but don’t listen to him. He wants you to let go of God’s promise that says, The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up (James 5:15). I believe in the prayer of faith, and so must you. God wants to make you whole, so believe Him for healing today.

Lord, I’m your servant, and there is nothing great about me except your greatness within me. Lord, pour yourself through this your humble servant now to work your will for the people. I know it is your will for them to be healed. Make them whole in the name of your Son, Jesus, and through your gifts of healing and miracles. Heal! Heal! in the holy name of Jesus.

Let God’s miracle power flow all through you. That healing power will linger in your body or in the body of your loved one to get you or yours well. Praise God and look for all signs of improvement. Then write, email or leave us a message on Facebook or Instagram to tell us what God has done for you. God keep you and bless you. You are very, very special to Him.

Are You Still Dedicated to the Lord’s Calling?

By Rev. Steve Millar

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded (II Chronicles 15:7). What causes a child of God to start out strong in the Lord and be ready to do whatever He calls on them to and then fail? The answer is that they lose their dedication to the Lord, and they neglect the time they should be spending with Him.

King Solomon started out strong in the Lord. Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father (I Kings 3:3). But later, he failed God because he didn’t stay on fire for the Lord; and he let himself get comfortable and neglectful.

In the beginning of Solomon’s reign, God recognized his dedication and his love for the truth in the Word. In fact, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, Ask what I shall give thee (I Kings 3:5). The Lord wanted to reward Solomon for his dedication and faithfulness, and I’m sure He would have given Solomon anything he asked for; but instead of asking for riches or a long and prosperous life, Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God’s people.

Solomon first said, And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in (I Kings 3:7). At that time, Solomon was no longer a child; but that was his way of letting the Lord know that he was inexperienced and needed the Lord’s guidance.

Solomon went on to say, And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people (I Kings 3:8,9)?

The Lord was so pleased with Solomon’s request that He gave him much more than just the wisdom and knowledge he had requested. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days (I Kings 3:13,14). That is just like our God. When we have a heart dedicated toward Him and His ways, He will bless us above and beyond what we ask for.

King Solomon Failed

King Solomon started out strong in the Lord; but unfortunately, he ended his 40-year-reign by failing God. What happened to King Solomon and his dedication to the Lord?—neglect. When you neglect something, you give it little attention or discard it altogether. King Solomon was so preoccupied with his wealth, his prosperity and his many wives that he neglected his relationship with the Lord and lost his dedication to his true calling.

Solomon was to have led God’s people in holiness and righteousness and showed the world a nation that was under the leadership of a true and living God; but instead, he married heathen women who corrupted his thinking and turned his heart to idol worship. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father (I Kings 11:4). He was such a disappointment to God!

God had given everything to Solomon. He had blessed him with great wisdom, fame, wealth and a reputation that spread across the known world. The Queen of Sheba heard of King Solomon’s fame, and she traveled from a far country to see for herself if the rumors were true. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard (I Kings 10:6,7). There was no other kingdom as great as Solomon’s in the entire world, but that all changed when he lost his dedication to the Lord.

Be Careful Who You Spend Time With

Child of God, the same thing will happen to you if you lose your dedication to the Lord and your zeal for His work. When you are riding high with God’s blessings and everything is going great in your life, that is the time to be careful not to neglect the Lord. King Solomon became careless in his relationship with the Lord. He compromised and disobeyed God by marrying women who were not of the household of faith, and their evil ways corrupted him.

Are you associating with people in the world when you don’t have to? Do you hang out with sinners on a regular basis? Of course, there are times when you have to be around people who are not serving God; but do you constantly seek their company and companionship? If you are friends with the wrong people, you need to separate because you can be in danger of losing your devotion to the Lord. The devil will slowly creep in until all of a sudden, your dedication to the Lord will be gone.

King Asa Loved the Lord

King Asa is another example of someone who started out with a lot of zeal and dedication towards God, but he let self get in the way. Asa was the third king of Judah. His father had been king before him, and he was a wicked man; but the Bible says, Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God (II Chronicles 14:2).

At that time, the people of Judah worshipped idols because of the failure of King Solomon, Asa’s great grandfather. But King Asa didn’t care who had worshipped idols before him or what his friends and family thought; he was going to serve the true and living God, and he proved it by his actions. For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves (II Chronicles 14:3).

Asa was determined to stand for truth and lead the people under the leadership of God with no compromise. He didn’t even allow his mother, the queen, to get away with idol worship. She made an idol in the grove, but King Asa had it destroyed and then removed her from being queen. And Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron (II Chronicles 15:16).

That shows complete dedication to the Lord. King Asa put God first in his life, and his dedication to God brought rest in Judah for 10 years.

Keep Your Eyes on God

Later, testing time came in King Asa’s life, and an army of one million Ethiopians came to fight against Judah. King Asa’s army was only about half that size, but Asa did not look to any person for help or consider surrendering; he looked to God and prayed, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled (II Chronicles 14:11,12). Judah received the victory because King Asa depended on the Lord.

What do you do when trials and troubles come your way? Do you run after people hoping they can solve your problems, or do you cry out to the Lord for help? God will always be there for you in the good times and the bad times if you stay dedicated to the Lord.

Later, King Asa and all of Judah and Benjamin received a warning from God through the prophet Azariah. Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you (II Chronicles 15:2).

The formula has remained the same from the beginning of time—if you seek the Lord, you will find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. You must never neglect your relationship with the Lord; always stay dedicated to His calling for you.

King Asa Lost His Dedication

There was peace in the land of Judah when the people made a covenant to serve the Lord with their whole hearts; but over time, King Asa neglected his relationship with the Lord. Because of that, he made a bad decision when the King of Israel came up against Judah; and instead of seeking the Lord for help, Asa made a deal with the king of Syria. And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand… Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars (II Chronicles 16:7,9). God wanted King Asa to depend on Him for help and deliverance so He could get the glory, not the king of Syria.

How many times have you done things your own way without seeking God for help? God was right there to help you, and He was waiting for you to ask; but you didn’t look to Him. How many times have you robbed God of showing His glory in your life because you depended on people instead of Him? You must always give God the first opportunity to move for you.

Some people think their way is right even when they are told it is wrong, and that is what happened with King Asa. A man of God told him what the Lord had to say about what he had done, but Asa got so mad that he threw the man of God in prison. Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing (II Chronicles 16:10).

When King Asa lost his humility and dedication to God, everything went downhill; and he ended up dying from a terrible foot disease. Take a lesson from Asa and always look to the Lord first.

Let Your Light Shine

God could have healed King Asa from that terrible disease, but he would not humble himself and seek God for a miracle; and you can see the same thing happening today. People all over the world are dying with terrible sicknesses and diseases that the doctors have no cure for; yet when they are offered prayer from this Jesus ministry, they turn away because they don’t believe in the healing power of Jesus Christ.

God wants people to humble themselves before Him so He can give them the miracles or deliverances they need. The Bible tells us that faith in God heals the sick. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up (James 5:15).

King Asa did so much good the first 35 years of his reign that three other tribes dedicated and renewed their covenant to the Lord because they saw how much the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were being blessed. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul (II Chronicles 15:12).

People will notice when you live for the Lord. They will see the blessings in your life, and they will want what you have. The anointing will go forth, and they will see the light of Jesus and a Jesus smile coming forth; but if you become self-reliant like King Asa, you will lose your dedication to the Lord. Then you will eventually fail in doing the whole will of God.

Prove Your Calling

Remember, you can lose your dedication to God through neglect, but the opposite of neglect is care. If you care about something, you will have concern and regard for it.

Do you care about your relationship with the Lord, or do you look at your salvation as just a means to make it into Heaven? When Jesus came to Earth to die on the Cross for our sins, it wasn’t just so we could make it into Heaven; it was so we could also have a divine relationship with God, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Jesus gave all He had; and He never lost His dedication or zeal for His calling, not even when He was suffering horrible pain and agony on the Cross.

Stephen proved his dedication to his calling when he was faced with an angry crowd that was about to stone him to death for believing and teaching that Jesus was the Son of God. He could have walked away and saved his own skin, but he had a great relationship with the Lord because he had not neglected it.

Many of Stephen’s accusers thought they had a great relationship with God too, but they were all hypocrites; and Stephen set them straight saying, Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye (Acts 7:51). People may say they are a Christian; but if they resist the power of the Holy Ghost, they are not dedicated to the Lord and His calling.

Never Lose Your Zeal

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He said, It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you (John 16:7). Child of God, are you dedicated to receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or have you lost your zeal? Have you let other things and responsibilities take the place of tarrying in the Upper Room until you receive that power from On High? Without the Holy Ghost, you will be left behind when the Rapture takes place. Then the things you put ahead of seeking for the Holy Ghost won’t matter anymore.

You can’t neglect your spiritual walk with the Lord and expect to be ready when the Rapture takes place. The race is almost over, so don’t give up when the finish line is in view. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded (II Chronicles 15:7).

We all have a calling, and that is to go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). The Lord is depending on us to be totally dedicated to our calling and to get the harvest of souls in before it is too late.

Have you lost your zeal to fulfill God’s calling in your life? If so, now is the time to rededicate yourself to the Lord. If you are a sinner or a backslider, you can’t keep running from the Lord and think He will never catch up with you. You can’t hide from God because He sees everything. Jesus loves you, and He wants you to give your heart to Him. Say the sinner’s prayer located on page 5 of this magazine. If you seek the Lord, you will find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.